Whitney Houston biopic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ starring Naomi Ackie sets 2022 release date, announces full cast

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” the official biopic of music icon Whitney Houston, is set to be released on December 21, 2022 according to Sony Pictures. London native Naomi Ackie will portray the legendary diva from Newark, New Jersey. The BAFTA-winning actress’ previous credits include “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker,” “Master of None” and “The End of the F***ing World.” The first movie poster for “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” was recently revealed on Houston’s official website.

Kasi Lemmons directs the biographical musical based on the life of one of the world’s biggest superstars. Lemmons’ previous directing credits include 2019’s “Harriet” starring Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo and 1997’s cult classic “Eve’s Bayou” starring Lynn Whitfield and Samuel L. Jackson. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” is written by four-time Oscar nominee Anthony McCarten, whose previous screenplay credits include “The Theory of Everything” (2014), “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) and “The Two Popes” (2019).

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Joining Ackie in front of the camera is Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Houston’s mentor and founder of ARISTA Records, Clive Davis. Ashton Sanders (“Moonlight”) will play Houston’s husband, R&B singer Bobby Brown. Houston’s parents John and Cissy Houston will be portrayed by Clarke Peters and Tamara Tunie, and her longtime assistant and confidante, Robyn Crawford, is played by Nafessa Williams.

Houston’s estate was heavily involved in the making of this biopic, along with Davis, who serves as one of the film’s producers. It’s expected to follow the full life of Houston, from her New Jersey upbringing to the superstar’s untimely death in 2012 at the age of 48. Houston grew up in a family with a rich musical legacy. Her mother, Cissy, is a Grammy-winning gospel singer whose group, The Sweet Inspirations, became the most sought-after backup singers of the 1960s. Cissy sang with artists such as Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Bette Midler. Houston’s cousin Dionne Warwick is a pop legend in her own right, racking up 56 appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Since Houston’s death, there have been multiple projects released about the singer’s life. Her estate teamed up with director Kevin Macdonald for the controversial 2018 documentary, “Whitney,” in which her brother, Gary Houston, accused Dionne’s sister, Dee Dee Warwick, of molesting him and Whitney when they were children. Both Dionne and Cissy blasted the documentary, stating neither Whitney nor Dee Dee were alive to confirm or deny the accusations. In 2017, another documentary titled “Whitney: Can I Be Me?” from directors Nick Broomfield and Rudi Dolezal stirred up controversy as well, alleging Houston’s substance abuse issues were rooted in a lifelong struggle with her sexuality.

In 2015, Oscar nominee Angela Bassett directed the first biographical film about Houston, simply titled, “Whitney.” The Lifetime TV movie starred Yaya DaCosta as Houston and earned generally unfavorable reviews from both critics and fans. Bassett herself had starred alongside Houston in 1995’s “Waiting to Exhale.” The late singer’s other feature films included “The Bodyguard” (1992) with Kevin Costner, “The Preacher’s Wife” (1996) with Denzel Washington and “Sparkle” (2012) with Jordin Sparks. Houston’s successful crossover into film exceeded her contemporaries in pop music and by the mid-1990s she became the highest paid Black actress in Hollywood.

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